State officials said a rising number of abuse and neglect cases in New Hampshire are connected to parental or caregiver abuse of opioids.

State officials said a rising number of abuse and neglect cases in New Hampshire are connected to parental or caregiver abuse of opioids.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 11:58 PM EST Nov 24, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT SHELLEY: GOVERNOR MAGGIE HASSAN SAID THAT DRUG OVERDOSES HAVE BECOME THE SECOND MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN OURS THEY. TOM: ADDING TO THE CRISIS ARE GROWING NUMBER OF VICTIMS, YOUNG AND INNOCENT WITHOUT A VOICE. OPIOID ORPHANS ARE LOSING WHAT THEY NEED MOST IN THE WORLD, THEIR PARENTS. AMY: HE JUST KEPT SAYING MY DADDY, WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY DADDY. WHEN TONYA'S GRANDDAUGHTER FOUND HER DADDY, IT WAS TOO LATE. 'S LIVES WERE PURPLE AND HE HAD CAULIFLOWER MARKINGS ALL OVER HIS BODY BECAUSE HE HAD AN ALLERGIC REACTION. DERRICK LEWIS LOVED HIS DAUGHTER. THE HUNDREDS OF PICTURES OF PROOF. HE WANTED TO SHOW HER THE WORLD, GUITAR, SURFING, SKATE ORTING. ANITA WAS CLOSE BY WHEN HIS LITTLE GIRL WENT TO CALL HIM FOR DINNER LAST YEAR. IN THE BEGINNING, SHE SEEMED LIKE IT DID NOT FAZE HER. SHE KEPT SAYING I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE MY ADVENTURES WITH HATTIE ANYMORE. MY GRANDSON WAS ASKED BY HIS COUNSELOR, IF YOU HAD TWO MINUTES TO TALK TO YOUR DAD, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? HIS ANSWER WAS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD SAY, BUT WHATEVER IT WAS, I WOULD CHERISH IT. LEOLA LAROCHE MARRIED HIM TWO YEARS AGO. NOW SHE HARDLY EVER SEES HER GRANDSON. THEY MOVED TO OHIO. SHE SAID HE EXPLAINED THE OVERDOSE BY SAYING DADDY WENT TO SLEEP AND HE NEVER WOKE UP. OF COURSE OUR HOLD FAMILY IS SUFFERING, BUT THOSE TWO KIDS, THEY STARTED THEIR LIFE OFF TOTALLY WRONG. IT'S VERY, VERY SAD. AUSTAN IS 11 NOW. LOSING HIS DAD HAS TAKEN A TOLL. I WISH I COULD STILL FISH WITH MY DAD, PLAY GUITAR WITH MY DAD. I CANNOT TALK ABOUT THEM TO THIS DAY WITHOUT CRYING. LIEUTENANT LOU DO SUPERVISES THE JUVENILE UNIT AT THE MANCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE SET OFF IN THE FIRST CALL THEY GET IN AN OVERDOSE SITUATION IS FROM A CHILD. KIDS AS YOUNG AS EIGHT OR NINE OR CALLING US TO REPORT THAT THEIR PARENT OR GUARDIAN OR CAREGIVER IS UNCONSCIOUS AND UNRESPONSIVE. AND WE COME OUT AND WE FIND THAT THE PERSON IS SUFFERING FROM AN OVERDOSE. MANCHESTER POLICE NOW HAVE A CHILD AND WITNESS VICTIM ADVOCATE. IT'S A NEW POSITION. THE SOLE MISSION, KIDS WHO WITNESS OVERDOSES OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ANY KIND OF TRAUMA. THE ADVOCATE IS NOT A FIRST RESPONDER, BUT RATHER THE FOLLOW-THROUGH THROUGH, MAKING SURE THAT CHILDREN GET SERVICES, ATTENTION, AND COUNSELING. HAVING AN ADDICTION DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T CARE FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE A TERRIBLE PERSON. BUT IT CAN THROW YOUR PRIORITIES OFTEN MAYBE IT MEANS YOUR KIDS ARE NOT BEING PUT FIRST. THIS LITTLE GIRL WHO IS FOUR YEARS OLD WAS WALKING WITH HER GRANDMOTHER IN PARK AND SAW HYBRID ARMOR ABLE -- SAW A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE AND SAID THAT IS DADDY'S, THAT IS FOR HIS MEDICINE. WE GOT RARE ACCESS TO A MONTHLY STAFF MEETING. CONFIDENTIALITY IS PARAMOUNT FOR THIS CHILD CENTERED NONPROFIT. STAFFERS HERE ARE CRITICAL AT TIMES OF THE DIVISION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES. PARTICULARLY THE SAFETY PLANS CRAFTED BY STATE SOCIAL WORKERS ASSIGNED TO FAMILIES WHERE ONE OR BOTH PARENTS USE HEROIN, FOR EXAMPLE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE, PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A SOBER CAREGIVER. PEOPLE THAT ARE USING DRUGS ARE NOT GOING TO STOP WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO FIND A SOBER CAREGIVER. HEROIN OPIOID ABUSE HAS A LETHALITY ABOUT IT. HOW DO YOU WORK WITH FAMILIES ON KEEPING THEIR CHILDREN SAFE WHEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE EVIDENCE? THE STATE AGENCY CHARGED WITH KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE SAYS IN CASES OF DRUG USE, PROVING HARM TO A CHILD IS DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE LAW MANDATES THEY PROVE HARM TO GET A REMOVAL ORDER FOR A CHILD. WE ARE GOING IN TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT FAMILY AND WHAT ARE THE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND CAN WE MAKE A BRIDGE TO RECOVERY FOR THEM? THE DIRECTOR SAYS ONE IN NINE CASES INVOLVE HEROIN AS THE PRIMARY RISK FACTOR TO THE CHILD BECAUSE OF PARENTAL OR CAREGIVER USE OF OPIOIDS. RIGHT NOW, ONE CHILD PROTECTION WORKER CAN BE TASKED WITH OVERSEEING 19-20 FAMILIES PER MONTH.

Children of drug users are growing victims in opioid epidemic

State officials said a rising number of abuse and neglect cases in New Hampshire are connected to parental or caregiver abuse of opioids.